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I think the McKee house deal was always more about storage than the house... If they can't find anyone to restore it, they will tear it down in 2019

Summary
As part of the search for a cost effective solution to meet our salt storage needs, staff approached
the DuPage County Forest Preserve about the possible purchase or lease of their Fleet Facility on St.
Charles Road just west of I-355 in Churchill Woods. As this discussions unfolded, the Forest
Preserve is willing to lease the property to the Village for $1/year for 50 years provided that the
lease included the historic McKee House properties as well.

Basic Terms of the lease are as follows:

50 year renewable lease of St. Charles Fleet facility (2 buildings) and the McKee structures (2
buildings) for $1 a year; land continues to be owned by Forest Preserve. All structures wouldhave to be demolished at the end of the lease, if the lease is not renewed.

The Village is responsible for all aspects of property including snow plowing, parking lot
improvements, etc. (Does not include snow plowing access to the gas pumps.)

Forest Preserve would have access for gas pumps and would continue to have full access of
the land.

Village has ability to sublease McKee structures to a 3rd party, limited to Historical Society,
COD, and Park District, or subject to their review and approval.

Anticipated cost to stabilize McKee structure is $230K and to renovate McKee structures
range from $1.3M to $2M.

If the Village or 3rd party is not able to raise $400K by October 1, 2019 AND restore and get
a occupancy permit by October 1, 2022, the Village would demo the property at Village
expense ($20K-$40K).

The Forest Preserve and Village would contribute $25K each towards the restoration efforts
if $400K is raised by October 1, 2019 and the project moves forward and is permitted.

Village intends to annex the property from Lombard by April 1, 2019 and annex another
parcel to have contiguity with Village limits. Lombard is willing to support this at this time.

This whole "We need $400,000 to save the McKee House" is so ill-reported, misunderstood and spun...it is going to cost roughly $460,000 to repair the buildings...$460,000 that currently does not exist and has to be raised by Oct. 2019, then, and if raised, the repairs have to be completed by 2022. Then what? The "repaired" buildings will then need an additional $1 million to $1.5 million to even be used or occupied.

Excerpts...

"The clock is ticking on efforts to restore the historic McKee House now that Glen Ellyn has inked a deal to lease it and other buildings at Churchill Woods Forest Preserve. DuPage County Forest Preserve commissioners on Tuesday approved an agreement that allows Glen Ellyn to lease two fleet maintenance buildings at Churchill Woods for 50 years. The $1-a-year lease also includes the McKee House, an 81-year-old limestone building considered one of the most endangered historic places in Illinois.

The unanimous vote came two weeks after Glen Ellyn trustees approved the deal. As part of the lease agreement, a private group has until Oct. 1, 2019, to raise $400,000 for a restoration project. The group has until Oct. 1, 2022, to complete the improvements and get an occupancy permit.

"We've got a little more than two years to do this," said Linda Gilbert of the McKee Preservation Group, a nonprofit that will spearhead the fundraising effort. "So it's scary, but it's doable."

Needed repairs would cost roughly $461,000, according to the most recent evaluation. Work to bring the house into code compliance for life safety and occupancy is estimated to cost an additional $1 million to $1.5 million."

Going to be fun to watch this and the Two Hound Red project to see who can continue to fund and open before 2022. (Two Hound Red was supposed to open in March 2017 FYI)

Excerpts...

"A plan to push up the starting date for Glen Ellyn to lease the McKee House and other buildings at Churchill Woods Forest Preserve could help preservationists trying to raise money to restore the historic structure.

DuPage County Forest Preserve commissioners last May approved an agreement that allows Glen Ellyn to lease... The $1-a-year lease also includes the McKee House... As part of the deal, the lease wasn't supposed to begin until April 1, 2019.

But the McKee Preservation Group -- a nonprofit that's working to raise money to restore the McKee House -- says the 2019 date is hampering fundraising efforts. "It's difficult for the McKee Preservation Group to raise money if the village doesn't take possession until 2019," said forest preserve Commissioner Tim Whelan, who also is a member of the preservation group. "Any donor looking at it is going to say, 'You can't even do anything until 2019.'"

So the forest preserve board on Tuesday is expected to approve a change that would allow Glen Ellyn to lease the buildings as soon as the forest preserve moves...Revising the lease will allow the McKee Preservation Group to make incremental repairs to the house, starting with a proposal for a new roof.

However, the revised lease won't change the Oct. 1, 2019, deadline that the private group has been given to raise $400,000 for the restoration project. The group has until Oct. 1, 2022, to complete the improvements and get an occupancy permit. If either deadline isn't met, the village will demolish the McKee House.

Whelan said the group will be making repairs to the house as money is raised. All the money spent will be counted toward the $400,000 goal."

"The historic McKee House is now located within the village of Glen Ellyn's boundaries.

At their June 25 Village Board meeting, Glen Ellyn trustees unanimously approved an ordinance annexing the 82-year-old limestone building into the village, along with an adjacent building that will be used for salt storage. The McKee House is in the Churchill Woods Forest Preserve, and the village of Glen Ellyn is leasing the McKee House and the adjacent building from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.

Glen Ellyn Planning and Development Director Staci Hulseberg told trustees the buildings require some modifications to make them useful, particularly the salt storage building. "And if the McKee House is rehabbed in the future, we..."